Phin Filter
In a recent cupping hosted by our friend, Hai Nguyen, we were treated to a fine robusta (produced and roasted by Hai's family in Vietnam) brewed using a phin filter. The result was an intensely sweet, aromatic, chocolaty coffee with a velvety body that could easily be enjoyed on its own or paired with condensed milk (for a dessert-like treat!). For those who are less familiar with the phin filter, we asked Hai for his recipe.
History of the Phin Filter
Like coffee itself, the phin filter was brought to Vietnam by the French during the 1850s, likely influenced by the kaapi filter brewing method from Southern India. However, since then it has evolved and now almost synonymous with Vietnamese coffee. The strong brew is often paired with condensed milk, which was much more widely available in the past than fresh milk.
The phin filter consists of four parts: a plate, body, press disk, and lid. It is often made out of metal, such as stainless steel, does not require any paper or cloth filters, and sits neatly on top of a cup, preparing one tasty brew at time.
What you'll need
- 1x Phin Filter
- 1x Grinder
- 1x Scale
- 1x Kettle
- 25 g of coffee
- 75 g of 96 C/205 F water
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Assemble everything you’ll need from the list above
- Begin heating your water
- Weigh your 25 g of coffee and grind at a medium-fine grind (roughly the coarseness of sea salt or sugar)
- Once the kettle reaches the desired temperature, warm the phin filter by pouring a small amount of hot water over each part, and then clearing any excess water
- Pour your ground coffee into the body of the phin filter
- Place the phin filter on the plate, and sit both pieces on top of your cup or carafe on the scale
- Tare your scale and start your timer, initially pouring 25 g of water onto the ground coffee. Wait approximately 30 seconds for the coffee to bloom
- Once the bubbling stops, gently press the disk on top of the slurry, tare again, and pour the remaining 50 g of water over top of the disk, and then place the lid on top to keep your brewing coffee warm
- Total brew time should be between 3-5 mins. Wait for the coffee to finish dripping and then remove the phin filter
- Add 10 g of condensed milk to the brew (optional), or enjoy as-is!
Variables
As always, this recipe is intended to get you started, but feel free to tweak the recipe according to your tastes. You can use the variables below to fine tune the end result.
- Too bitter? Try grinding coarser, lowering the temperature of your water, adding more water versus coffee (e.g., 100 g of water to 25 g of coffee) or decreasing how much pressure you apply with the disk following the bloom
- Too weak? Try the opposite (finer grind, higher temperature, longer brew)!
The beauty of this coffee is that the stronger brew means that you can mix it with condensed milk and/or ice and still enjoy a strong coffee taste. One thing to note is that this method is typically used for lower acidity coffee (e.g., robusta), so if you don't have any fine robusta handy, trying it out with espresso is a great start!